[Lifestyle] Experts weigh in on Iranian man’s claims to have survived on cold drinks for the last 17 years

[NANO]

For the last 17 years, an Iranian man, reportedly, has been surviving on just cold drinks, according to The Mirror, which quoted local Iranian media. Gholamreza Ardeshiri has claimed that he does not feel hungry, but when he gets tired, the only thing that gives him any energy is carbonated drinks.

The middle-aged man told Iranian media that he stopped eating food in June 2006, without a reason. “There was no accident that caused the effects and I was not shocked. I still haven’t found the reason,” he was quoted as saying.

On how it started, the man said, “I had a strange feeling. I felt like a hair-like object was inside my mouth, and the end was inside my stomach. No matter what I did, it was not possible to remove this hair. It was like the hair was tugging in my throat and I felt like I was suffocating, it was so tight that I didn’t know what to do. I can’t really describe it, but it felt crazy.” “To get rid of this feeling, I went to every doctor you can think of until a kidney and hematologist said it’s better to go to a psychiatrist and they introduced me to one,” he added, further mentioning that despite the help of the psychiatrist, he has still not been able to get a diagnosis.

 

He added that owing to this feeling, his family also doesn’t eat in front of him, as the sight of them eating food makes him nauseous. He also reportedly sleeps little, about four hours a night, and has three liters of fizzy drinks a day.

To understand if it is a real condition, we reached out to experts. Know what they had to say.

Terming it a unique case if true, Dr Adrita Banerjee, consultant physician, Godrej Memorial Hospital said that considering only carbonated drinks as a source of energy or nutrition is a façade.

“Carbonated drinks have high content of phosphorus, which can interfere with loss of calcium from kidneys, causing osteoporosis and low bone mineral density. It also has a high carbon dioxide content which increases the risk of tooth decay. Further, high sugar content can cause irritable bowel syndrome. Carbonated drinks also increase the production of ghrelin a hormone that leads to increased hunger and ultimately weight gain and obesity — which can have a significant effect on heart health and increases the risk of cardiac diseases,” said Dr Banerjee.

High sodium content in the drinks can further increase blood pressure and have long-term effects on the heart, Dr Banerjee told indianexpress.com, adding that carbonated drinks also increase risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. “They have high caffeine content which can cause disturbed sleep, diuresis, and dehydration. Its high fructose content can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease along with premature ageing,” said Dr Banerjee.

Dr Santosh Pandey, naturopath and acupuncturist, Rejua Energy Centre, Mumbai concurred and said that carbonated soft drinks mostly contain caffeine and are sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. “So, these beverages may cause side effects, especially if you consume them on a regular basis. Drinking high-sugar soft drinks is most commonly associated with type 2 diabetes and weight gain. It can potentially lead to cavities and even tooth decay. Also, carbonated beverages contain dissolved carbon dioxide, which becomes a gas when it warms to body temperature in your stomach. Consuming carbonated soft drinks may cause repeated belching and few other digestive disorders,” he said.

Experts suggest that in preventive healthcare, lifestyle modification and diet play an essential role in maintaining good health. “Balanced diet is essential to keep healthy,” said Dr Banerjee.

https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/iranian-man-claims-cold-drinks-17-years-does-not-eat-food-experts-8645983/